Basic Ecclesial Communities

Fertile Ground for Religious & Social Harmony

Authors

  • Arockia Rayappan Concordia University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/jcreor.v4i1.80

Keywords:

Basic Ecclesial Communities, Religious and Social Harmony , Hindutva , Religious Polarization , Inter-Religious Collaboration

Abstract

Religious intolerance and blatant polarization along the lines of caste, colour, and racial differences are on the rise in India, a trend that has been compounded by the explicit religious nationalism of the incumbent ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the face of this rising intolerance and polarization, a substantial number of Indians from different demographics have begun to envision and participate in people-centred initiatives to nurture religious and social harmony. The present article proposes that Basic Ecclesial Communities – a practical, resourceful, and sustainable means of fostering community and religious harmony through interfaith sharing, hospitality, and a welcoming mindset – represent an impactful contribution to this effort.

Author Biography

Arockia Rayappan, Concordia University

Arockia Rayappan <raycanada2024@gmail.com> <@raycanada2024> is a PhD Candidate in the Individualized Studies program at Concordia University. He is a recipient of the 2022 Concordia International Tuition Award of Excellence, the 2022 Doctoral Fellowship Award, the 2022 Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award, and the 2023–2024 Steven Goldberg Graduate Scholarship. His doctoral research explores practical, resourceful, and sustainable ways to foster community harmony in India through a welcoming mindset and interfaith sharing and hospitality. He has been published in the Golden Key Academy, Indian Currents, The Herald, The New Leader, The Tablet, and the Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection. He has a passion for social justice, non-violent conflict resolution, and community building, and is dedicated to social change and creating positive impacts.

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Published

2024-04-08

How to Cite

Rayappan, Arockia. 2024. “Basic Ecclesial Communities: Fertile Ground for Religious & Social Harmony”. Journal of the Council for Research on Religion 4 (1). Montreal, QC, Canada:36–56. https://doi.org/10.26443/jcreor.v4i1.80.